Bilge pump



A ril 20, 1965 I J. E. MEAGHER BILGE PUMP Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAMES E. MEAGHER April 20, 1965 J. E. MEAGHER 3,179,058

BILGE PUMP Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 37 R mvwron JAMES E. MEAGHER gkmamsw -wm United States Patent 3,179,058 BILGE PUMP James E. Meagher, Marion, Ind., assignor to Delta Electric Company, Marion, 1nd,, a corporation of Indiana Fiied Apr. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 272,067 8 Claims. (Cl. 103-87) This invention relates generally to fluid pumps and more particularly to electrical submersible pumps adapted to be used as bilge pumps for marine craft or as sump pumps.

Electrical submersible pumps are subject to many def structive conditions. In marine craft used on salt water there is extreme corrosion of pump and motor parts, and unless the pump and motor structure is properly protected, corrosion eventually permits water or fuel or fuel vapor to penetrate withinthe motor structure whereby electrical troubles may disable the pump or fire and explosion may occur. In both marine craft and Water sumps, the water carries all sorts of debris, including sand, fibrous materials, oil or other forms of debris which require some sort of straining structure for protecting the moving parts of the pump and for preventing clogging of the pump.

Conventional submersible pumps have complex and expensive structure for resisting the etfects of corrosion and for preventing internal damage and clogging. A multiplicity of seals are usually required for protecting the motor from water, moisture and for excluding volatile fuel or fuel vapor from the interior surfaces of the pumpor motor. Strainers are usually located within the pump structure in such a manner that it is necessary to disassemble the pump structure in order to clean the strainers and remove debris from the interior of the pump. This assembly of the pump and motor structure usually requires that the seals be removed, and it is usually difiicult to reassemble or replace such seals in leak-proof relation to the pump parts. Consequently, it is often true that the life of the pump and motor will be relatively short after such a disassembly occurs.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a submersible electrical pump of simple and inexpensive construction which will withstand the effects of corrosion and which will not be subject to clogging by ordinary water borne debris.

Another object of this invention is to provide a submersible electrical pump which may be easily disassembled and reassembled without destroying the seals which protect the motor.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an electrical submersible pump having external strainer means which may be easily cleaned and having internal pump means of such character that it will not be clogged or destroyed by any debris which may pass through the external straining means.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pump structure incorporating this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the main pump housing.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the main pump housing.

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pump impeller.

Referring to the drawings, the invention compTses a submersible pump having a main pump housing 10 to which is mounted a bottom cover 11. Housing 10 in- "ice cludes an outlet 12 which is threaded as shown to receive a discharge hose. The bottom cover 11 is formed to provide an inlet at 15, and surrounding the periphery of the inlet 15 there are a plurality of lug members 16 which are spaced apart from one another to serve as straining means adapted to prevent relatively large particles of debris from entering the pump.

Housing 10 and bottom cover 11 are formed to provide mating recess portions 18 and 19 which, in turn, form an impeller chamber within which a conventional type of impeller 20 may be rotated to pump fluids from inlet 15 to the outlet 12.

An electrical motor 22 is seated on an annular ring member 23 formed on the upper surface of housing 10. The shaft 24 of the motor projects downwardly through a seal 25 seated within the collar member 26 formed as an integral part of housing 10. The shaft 24 may have a flattened portion and may project within the impeller 20 to engage a flattened portion thereof so as to drive the impeller. It is contemplated that the impeller shall have a rather loose fit with respect to the shaft so that the shaft may be freely inserted within the impeller, and the impeller will float thereon. Motor 22 includes projecting studs 28 which are intended to fit with n spaced sockets 29 formed in the housing 10. This structure serves to align the shaft of the motor with the sealing means 25 as the motor is assembled to the housing 10.

The motor 22 is housed within a close fitting cover 30 formed of brass or other suitable metallic material. It has been found. from actual use that a closely fitting metallic cover serves to dissipate heat generated within the motor. Tests of other materials, such as plastics, have shown that such materials are not suificiently heat conductive to permit operation of the motor at a safe temperature.

Cover 30 is provided with an outwardly projecting flange 31 at its open end. Housing 10 is provided with a sealing ring 32 seated as shown in an annular groove formed in an annular and upwardly projecting portion 33 of the housing. The clamping ring 35 is slideably fitted to the exterior surface of cover 30 so that it may be seated on the flange 31 of the cover. The outer periphery of the housing 10 includes an upwardly projecting rim portion 36 within which the ring 35 fits in snug relation. A plurality of bolts 38 extend through housing 10, cover 11 and ring 35 whereby the entire pump assembly may be clamped together by tightening the bolts 38 and/ or nuts 39. The sealing ring 32 thus prevents leakage of water or fuel or any other liquid or vapor into the interior space within which the motor is housed. The seal 25 also prevents such leakage around the motor shaft 24.

The upper end of motor 22 may be provided with a dome-shaped member 40 on which is mounted a helical spring 41. The spring may be compressed when the cover 30 is mounted over the motor and, thus, the motor is forced into firm engagement with the portion 23 of housing 10. The upper end of motor cover 30 is provided with a bushing 43 soldered or otherwise attached to the cover. A sealing ring 44 may be seated on the upper end of the bushing and a gland nut 45 may be threaded on to the bushing into engagement with the seal 44. The electrical cable 46 passes through the bushing, seal and nut assembly, and the gland nut 45 forces the sealing ring 44 into mutual sealing relation with the gland nut and the cable, whereby the leakage of fiuid or vapor around the cable is prevented.

From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that this invention provides a submersible pump of simple and inexpensive construction, wherein the motor is completely sealed against access of moisture, volatile fuels and fuel vapor. The strainer structure and the impeller structure are such that clogging of the pump is substantially eliminated. The pump structure may be easily disassembled and reassembled without destroying the seals, and all parts become accessible by removal of the clamping ring 35 and the bolts 38. It is also to be noted that efficient cooling of the motor is provided by the close fitting metallic motor cover.

The invention claimed is:

1. A pump comprising a main housing having an outlet portion, a centrally disposed shaft receiving aperture in said housing, a bottom cover on said housing, and an inlet portion formed in said cover, said housing and cover being shaped to provide an impeller chamber communicating with said inlet and outlet portions, an impeller in said chamber, a motor seated on said housing and having a shaft extending through said aperture into floating-driving engagement with said impeller, a heat transferring cover in intimate contact with a major portion of the exterior surface of said motor and having a base portion seated on said housing, a clamping ring engaging said base portion of said heat transferring cover, and fastening means extending through said ring said housing, and said bottom cover for clamping said motor and said bottom cover to said housing.

2. A pump according to claim 1 wherein the base portion of said heat transferring cover is in the form of a flange, said housing includes a sealing means disposed between said flange and said housing, and said clamping ring engages said flange to seat said flange on said sealing means and seal said motor with respect to said housing.

3.-A pump according to claim 1 wherein said bottom cover includes downwardly projecting lugs for supporting said pump in spaced relation to a surface, at least some of said lugs being adjacent to said inlet portion for preventing entrance of debris into said chamber.

4. A pump according to claim 1 wherein said housing includes motor alignment sockets, said motor includes projecting members seated in said sockets, and a spring is disposed between said heat transferring cover and said motor for urging said motor into engagement with said housing.

5. A pump comprising a housing including an upper member having an outlet portion and a centrally disposed aperture, a bottom cover member having an inlet portion, said upper member and said bottom member having mating recessed portions forming an impeller chamber communicating with said inlet and outlet portions, an impeller in said chamber, a motor seated on said upper member and having a shaft extending through said centrally disposed aperture into driving engagement with said impeller, a cover engaging said motor and having a flange seated on said upper member, a clamping ring engaging said flange and said upper member adjacent its outer rim, and fastening means extending through said ring, said upper member, and said bottom member, for clamping said motor and said upper and bottom members together.

6. A pump according to claim 5 wherein a sealing ring is disposed between said flange and said upper member.

7. A pump according to claim 5 wherein said upper member is formed to provide a plurality of spaced sockets beneath said motor and said motor includes projecting members disposed Within said sockets.

8. A pump comprising a housing including an upper member having an outlet portion and a centrally disposed aperture, a bottom cover member having an inlet portion, said upper member and said bottom member having mating recessed portions forming an impeller chamber communicating with said inlet and outlet portions, an impeller in said chamber, a motor having a cylindrical casing seated on said upper member and having a shaft extending through said centrally disposed aperture into driving engagement with said impeller, a cylindrical motor cover having a sliding fit with respect to said motor casing and having a flange seated on said upper memher, a clamping ring engaging said flange and said upper member adjacent its outer rim, and bolts extending through said ring, said upper member and said bottom member for clamping said motor and said upper and bottom members together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,570,222 10/51 Ell 230117 2,805,626 9/57 Pezzillo et al. 103-87 2,969,740 1/ 61 Kaatz 103-87 3,090,318 5/63 Jeep et al. 10387 FOREIGN PATENTS 607,613 10/60 Canada.

LAURENCE V. EFNER, Primary Examiner. ROBERT M. WALKER. Examiner. 

1. A PUMP COMPRISING A MAIN HOUSING HAVING AN OUTLET PORTION, A CENTRALLY DISPOSED SHAFT RECEIVING APERTURE IN SAID HOUSING, A BOTTOM COVER ON SAID HOUSING, AND AN INLET PORTION FORMED IN SAID COVER, SAID HOUSING AND COVER BEING SHAPED TO PROVIDE AN IMPELLER CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTIONS, AN IMPELLER IN SAID CHAMBER, A MOTOR SEATED ON SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE INTO FLOATING-DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID IMPELLER, A HEAT TRANSFERRING COVER IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID MOTOR AND HAVING A BASE PORTION SEATED ON SAID HOUSING, A CLAMPING RING ENGAGING SAID BASE PORTION OF SAID HEAT TRANSFERRING COVER, AND FASTENING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID RING SAID HOUSING, AND SAID BOTTOM COVER FOR CLAMPING SAID MOTOR AND SAID BOTTOM COVER TO SAID HOUSING. 